The
aim of the study was to establish the nutritional practices and activity
patterns of elite female soccer players. The nutritional intake of
16 female England Soccer players was self-reported over a seven-day
period. Participants were provided with written and verbal guidelines
for the completion of the diaries. Training details were also recorded,
and used in combination with BMR predictions to calculate daily energy
expenditure. Energy, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes were
determined using DietMaster 4.0 software. Results suggest that energy
intake was low (1904 ± 366.3 kcal) in relation to previous recommendations
for soccer players. Energy expenditure (2153.5 ± 596.2 kcal) was not
significantly different (p > 0.05) from intake, suggesting energy
balance was achieved. Carbohydrate (53.8 ± 6.8%), protein (16.8 ±
2.1%) and fat (28.8 ± 6.6%) intakes were in line with recommendations.
Fluid intake (2466 ± 1350.5ml·day-1) was sufficient to
meet baseline recommendations, but would need to be higher to meet
the additional requirement of training and competition. With the exception
of vitamin A and iron, all micronutrient intakes were higher than
the DRI. In conclusion, recommendations for female soccer players
are to encourage consumption of carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages
to enhance carbohydrate intake and increase fluid intake, and ensure
sufficient iron rich foods are included in the diet to meet the DRI.